In 'The Beauty of the Husband,' Anne Carson explores the complexities of love and betrayal through a poignant blend of poetry and prose. The narrative unfolds as a deeply personal reflection, delving into the intricacies of a tumultuous marriage laden with desire and disillusionment. Carson's lyrical storytelling weaves together the beauty and brutality of intimate relationships, challenging readers to reflect on the nature of affection and the pain of loss. Each page reverberates with emotional depth, inviting contemplation of how beauty can both enchant and torment. This memoir-like work provokes questions about love's fleeting nature and the stories we weave around our deepest connections.
By Anne Carson
Published: 2002
"In the complexity of love and desire, where beauty and betrayal dance in shadows, we find that the heart's longing often eclipses reason."
The Beauty Of The Husband is an essay on Keats’s idea that beauty is truth, and is also the story of a marriage. It is told in 29 tangos. A tango (like a marriage) is something you have to dance to the end. This clear-eyed, brutal, moving, darkly funny book tells a single story in an immediate, accessible voice–29 “tangos” of narrative verse that take us vividly through erotic, painful, and heartbreaking scenes from a long-time marriage that falls apart. Only award-winning poet Anne Carson could create a work that takes on the oldest of lyrical subjects–love–and make it this powerful, this fresh, this devastating.
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“In the complexity of love and desire, where beauty and betrayal dance in shadows, we find that the heart's longing often eclipses reason.”
The Beauty of the Husband
By Anne Carson
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Anne Carson is a renowned Canadian poet, essayist, and translator, known for her innovative blending of genres, including poetry, prose, and classical references. Her notable works include 'Autobiography of Red,' a novel in verse that reimagines the myth of Geryon and Heracles, and 'Nox,' a poignant meditation on loss and grief. Carson's writing style is characterized by its lyrical intensity, philosophical depth, and an exploration of themes such as love, memory, and the complexities of human experience. She has received numerous accolades, including the T.S. Eliot Prize and the Griffin Poetry Prize, solidifying her status as one of the most influential contemporary writers.
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